Two community police stations in Glasgow will be closed down

Police Scotland has confirmed the full closure of Castlemilk station in the Southside and the closure of Baillieston station in the East End.

Revealing the news, Divisional Commander, Chief Superintendent Lynn Ratcliff said Castlemilk station has not been used for four years. 

The force says the decision to shut the stations follows public consultations.

Plans to dispose of Castlemilk station were approved via its corporate governance framework.

Meanwhile, it has been agreed that Baillieston police station will remain open for policing purposes, however, the public counter will remain shut.

It comes after Police Scotland announced on December 14, 2023, its plans to close several stations across the country as part of its estate transformation strategy.

Following this, public consultations were launched at both a local and national level for the proposals.

READ MORE: Public to have say on plans to close eight police stations in greater Glasgow

For the two Glasgow stations, they were opened on December 14, 2023, and concluded on February 18, 2024.

In total, there were three respondents for the Castlemilk consultation, with all respondents disagreeing with the proposal to dispose of the building.

Meanwhile, for Baillieston, there were 30 respondents, with 79% disagreeing with the plans to close the office.

According to Police Scotland, comments received from the public on the proposed disposal of the two stations demonstrated the perception that both have limited use by officers and the public.

READ MORE: Eight Glasgow police stations among 40 buildings at risk of closure

Chief Superintendent Lynn Ratcliff said: “Castlemilk police station has not been used as a base for local policing officers or served a purpose in policing the local community in four years. 

“Officers deploy from Cathcart police station and have continued to serve the surrounding areas with no reported issues.

"The front counter at Cathcart is open from 7am until 12am, seven days a week.

“Castlemilk has been underutilised for some time but continues to incur daily expenses and ongoing maintenance. Retaining vacant and underutilised buildings is not a good use of public funds.

“Local policing officers will continue to support Baillieston and the surrounding areas as they do now.

"Officers will deploy from Shettleston police station which is approximately two and half miles away and the front counter is open from 7am to 12am, seven days a week and will be accessible to members of the public.

“I realise that for many people the presence of a police building brings reassurance and confidence to their local area.

"However, our presence in communities is not defined by buildings but by the officers and staff who work in the area.

“With advances and investment in our fleet and digital technology, our officers are no longer tied to working from police buildings.

"This means they have little need to return to the office, allowing them to be more present and responsive in the communities we serve.

“My officers will continue to be active, visible and accessible across Castlemilk and Baillieston.

"The public will receive the same high level of service from officers.

“Anyone wishing to talk to an officer can visit the station or call 101 (999 in an emergency).”